COMBINED SUBMERSIBLE VESSEL AND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• US 20110226174A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: PARKS, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US12/484,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20110226174A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/313
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/005 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/08 Propulsion schnorkels B63G8/36; nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/00 Convertible aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/70 Convertible aircraft, e.g. convertible into land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/65 Composite materials
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/31 generated by photovoltaics
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/20 Missiles having a trajectory beginning below water surface having additional propulsion means for movement through water F42B17/00

Abstract

A combined submersible vessel and unmanned aerial vehicle preferably includes a body structure, at least one wing structure coupled to the body structure, at least one vertical stabilizer structure coupled to the body structure, and at least one horizontal stabilizer structure coupled to the body structure. A propulsion system is coupled to the body structure and is configured to propel the flying submarine in both airborne flight and underwater operation. Preferably, the propulsion system includes a motor, a gearbox coupled to the motor and configured to receive power generated by the motor and provide variable output power, a drive shaft coupled to the gearbox and configured to transfer the variable output power provided by the gearbox, and a propeller coupled to the drive shaft and configured to accept power transferred to it from the drive shaft. The propeller is further configured to rotate and propel the flying submarine in both an airborne environment and in an underwater environment.

Claims

1. A flying submarine, comprising:

a body structure;

at least one wing structure coupled to the body structure;

at least one horizontal stabilizer structure coupled to the body structure; and

a propulsion system coupled to the body structure and configured to propel the flying submarine in both airborne flight and underwater operation, wherein the propulsion system includes;

a motor;

a gearbox coupled to the motor and configured to receive power generated by the motor and provide variable output power;

a drive shaft coupled to the gearbox and configured to transfer the variable output power provided by the gearbox, and

a propeller coupled to the drive shaft and configured to accept power transferred to it from the drive shaft, and further configured to rotate and propel the flying submarine in both an airborne environment and in an underwater environment.

2. The flying submarine according to claim 1, wherein the propulsion system is further configured to (i) operate the propeller within a first RPM range when operating in an air environment, and (ii) operate the propeller within a second RPM range when operating in a water environment, and wherein a first set of RPM values in the first RPM range are greater than a second set of RPM values in the second RPM range.

3. The flying submarine according to claim 1, wherein the propeller comprises at least two blades, wherein the propeller is disposed at a tail end of the flying submarine, opposite a nose of the flying submarine, and wherein the at least two blades are configured to fold forward and backward with respect to the nose of the flying submarine.

4. The flying submarine according to claim 3, wherein, when the flying submarine is in a stored configuration, the at least two blades of the propeller are configured to fold forwards, towards the nose of the flying submarine.

5. The flying submarine according to claim 4, wherein, when the flying submarine is in a water entry configuration, the at least two blades of the propeller are configured to fold backwards, away from the nose of the flying submarine.

6. The flying submarine according to claim 5, wherein, when the blades of the propeller are folded, structural loads thereon are reduced upon entry into the water environment.

7. The flying submarine according to claim 6, further comprising a latch configured to prevent the propeller from returning to a stored configuration following unfolding from the stored configuration.

8. The flying submarine according to claim 7, wherein the latch is further configured to be releasable following unfolding from the stored condition such that the propeller is stored again with the blades folded forward.

9. The flying submarine according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one battery, configured to store electrical energy, and wherein the motor comprises an electric motor configured to receive power from the battery.

10. The flying submarine according to claim 1, wherein the motor is further configured to rotate in both a clockwise direction and in counter-clockwise direction.

11. The flying submarine according to claim 1, the motor is rotatable in two directions.

12. The flying submarine according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox comprises a plurality of gear sets configured to operate the propeller within a first set of RPM values in an air environment, and to operate the propeller within a second set of RPM values in a water environment.

13. The flying submarine according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of gear sets comprises:

a first set of gears with a first gear ratio; and

a second set of gears with a second gear ratio, and wherein, when the motor is operating with the first set of gears, the propeller is configured to operate within the first set of RPM values, and wherein, when the motor is operating with the second set of gears, the propeller is configured to operate within the second set of RPM values.

14. The flying submarine according to claim 13, wherein the first set of gears is configured to rotate the propeller in a rotational direction opposite that of the motor, and wherein the second set of gears is configured to rotate the propeller in a rotational direction identical to that of the motor.

15. The flying submarine according to claim 13, wherein each of the first set of gears and the second set of gears is mechanically coupled to a propeller shaft via a one way clutch.

16. The flying submarine according to claim 15, wherein the one way clutch is selected from the group consisting of a ratchet, and a roller needle clutch.

17. The flying submarine according to claim 15, wherein the one way clutch is configured to rotate the propeller in a forward direction regardless of the rotation direction of the motor, and further wherein an RPM of the propeller corresponds to (i) the RPM of the motor and (ii) the respective gear ratios of the first gear set and the second gear set.

18. The flying submarine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a hull coupled to said body structure;

a propeller shaft, mechanically coupled to the propeller; and

a magnetic coupler (i) mechanically coupled to the driveshaft, (ii) mechanically coupled to said hull, and (iii) magnetically coupled to said propeller shaft, wherein the magnetic coupler is configured to rotate the propeller shaft via the magnetic coupling between the magnetic coupler and the propeller shaft.

19. The flying submarine according to claim 18, wherein the propeller shaft comprises:

a hollow shaft; and

a rocket propulsion system exhaust tube concentrically located within the hollow shaft.

20. The flying submarine according to claim 18, further comprising:

a rocket propulsion system coupled to the body structure, wherein the rocket propulsion system is configured to launch the flying submarine out of the water environment and into the air environment.

21. The flying submarine according to claim 20, wherein the rocket propulsion system is configured to exhaust propulsive matter through the tube without substantially interfering with, or impinging on, the propeller.

22. The flying submarine according to claim 20, wherein the rocket propulsion system comprises:

at least one water storage tank coupled to the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube and configured to store water; and

at least one solid fuel hot gas generator combined with the at least one water storage tank, and wherein the at least one solid fuel hot gas generator is configured to burn solid fuel to create pressurized gas, wherein the pressurized gas forcibly expels water stored within the at least one water storage tank out of the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube, thereby providing the exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system to propel the flying submarine.

23. The flying submarine according to claim 20, wherein the rocket propulsion system comprises:

at least one water storage tank coupled to the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube and configured to store water;

at least one high pressure storage tank coupled to the at least one water storage tank and configured to store pressurized gas; and

at least one solid fuel hot gas generator configured to burn solid fuel to create pressurized gas, wherein the pressurized gas is stored in the at least one high pressure storage tank, and wherein the at least one high pressure gas storage tank is further configured to release the hot pressurized gas into the at least one water storage tank to forcibly expel water stored within the at least one water storage tank out of the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube, thereby providing the exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system to propel the flying submarine.

24. The flying submarine according to claim 23, wherein the at least one solid fuel hot gas generator is further configured to burn a plurality of solid fuel cells to create a high pressure gas a plurality of times.

25. The flying submarine according to claim 24, wherein, for each burn of a solid fuel cell, the high pressure gas is stored in the at least one high pressure storage tank.

26. The flying submarine according to claim 20, wherein the rocket propulsion system comprises:

at least one compressor configured to compress air; and

at least one compressed air storage tank configured to store compressed air, and wherein the least one compressed air storage tank is further configured to release the compressed air into the at least one water storage tank to forcibly expel water stored within the at least one water storage tank out of the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube, thereby providing the exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system to propel the flying submarine.

27. The flying submarine according to claim 26, further comprising:

a snorkel connected to the at least one compressor, and wherein the at least one compressor is further configured to replenish compressed air within the at least one compressed air storage tank via the snorkel.

28. The flying submarine according to claim 27, wherein air is replenished within the at least one compressed air storage tank while the flying submarine is under water or in the air.

29. The flying submarine according to claim 20, further comprising:

at least one a hydrogen storage tank;

at least one oxygen storage tank;

at least one electrolysis converter, wherein the at least one electrolysis converter is configured to (i) convert water into oxygen and hydrogen through an electrolysis process, (ii) store the oxygen in the at least one oxygen storage tank, and (iii) store the hydrogen in the at least one hydrogen storage tank; and

at least one high pressure steam storage tank that includes a burner, wherein the at least one high pressure steam storage tank is configured to mix and burn the stored hydrogen and oxygen and produce high pressure steam, and wherein the at least one high pressure steam storage tank is further configured to release the high pressure steam into the at least one water storage tank to forcibly expel water stored within the at least one water storage tank out of the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube, thereby providing the exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system to propel the flying submarine.

30. The flying submarine according to claim 20, further comprising:

at least one hydrogen and oxygen storage tank;

at least one electrolysis converter, wherein the at least one electrolysis converter is configured to (i) convert water into oxygen and hydrogen, and (ii) store the oxygen and the hydrogen in the at least one hydrogen and oxygen storage tank; and

at least one high pressure steam storage tank that includes a burner, wherein the at least one high pressure steam storage tank is configured to burn the stored hydrogen and oxygen and produce high pressure steam, and wherein the at least one high pressure steam storage tank is further configured to release the high pressure steam into the at least one water storage tank to forcibly expel water stored within the at least one water storage tank out of the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube, thereby providing the exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system to propel the flying submarine.

31. The flying submarine according to claim 20, further comprising:

at least one water storage tank;

at least one electrolysis converter configured to convert some of the water stored in the water storage tank into oxygen and hydrogen, and to store the oxygen and the hydrogen in the at least one water storage tank; and

at least one igniter, wherein the at least one igniter is configured to ignite the stored hydrogen and oxygen and produce high pressure steam within the water storage tank, thereby forcibly expelling water remaining within the at least one water storage tank out of the rocket propulsion system exhaust tube, thereby providing the exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system to propel the flying submarine.

32. The flying submarine according to claim 1, further comprising a water storage tank configured to provide ballast for the flying submarine.

33. The flying submarine according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one electrical storage battery; and

an electrical power system including at least one solar photovoltaic cell mounted on a top side of the at least one wing structure, and wherein the electrical power system is further configured to recharge the at least one electrical storage battery during at least one of (i) the flying submarine being disposed just below a surface of the water, and (ii) the flying submarine cruising just below the surface of the water.

34. The flying submarine according to claim 1, further comprising a hydro-spike disposed at a nose of the body structure and configured to enter the water before the nose of the flying submarine as the flying submarine enters into the water environment to minimize impact loads on the nose of the flying submarine, wherein, prior to entering the water environment, the flying submarine is configured to fly at an altitude below about 100 feet and while at an airspeed just above a stalling speed of the flying submarine, wherein the flying submarine is further configured to reduce its speed to just below its stalling speed, and wherein the flying submarine is further configured to enter the water nose first and at an angle of between about 40°

and 90°

with respect to a surface of the water environment.

35. The flying submarine according to claim 34, wherein, when the flying submarine enters the water environment, the at least one wing structure, the at least one vertical stabilizer structure, and the at least one horizontal stabilizer structure fold into a water entry configuration.

36. The flying submarine according to claim 34, wherein the hydro-spike is further configured to move outwardly from the nose of the flying submarine.

37. The flying submarine according to claim 34, wherein the hydro-spike comprises:

a shaft; and

a water deflecting surface attached to an extendible end of the hydro-spike shaft.

38. The flying submarine according to claim 34, wherein the hydro-spike is further configured to break a surface of the water environment, and is further configured to mix the water with air to lessen an impact of a nose of the flying submarine into the water environment.

39. The flying submarine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wing structure is configured to move between (i) a storage position, (ii) an airborne flight position, (iii) an underwater ascending position, (iv) an underwater descending position, (v) an underwater neutral-depth position, (vi) a water environment entry position, and (vii) a water exiting position.

40. The flying submarine according to claim 39, wherein the underwater ascending position comprises:

a partially or fully extended at least one wing structure; and

an inverted flying submarine, such that when the flying submarine is inverted, a lift vector of the partially or fully extended at least one wing structure is configured to push downwards the inverted flying submarine, thereby acting opposite to an upward buoyancy condition of the flying submarine, whereby the flying submarine is configured to glide upwards within the water environment.

41. A method for operating a flying submarine, comprising:

providing a rocket propulsion system to cause exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system to propel the flying submarine;

flooding a ballast tank with water;

placing the flying submarine at an appropriate water exiting depth;

accelerating the flying submarine to about a maximum forward velocity with a propeller propulsion system;

placing the flying submarine at a water exit angle;

firing the rocket propulsion system at or just below a water-air interface, thereby providing an exhaust propulsive matter from the rocket propulsion system and propelling the flying submarine to a water exit velocity;

unfolding one or more wing structures on the flying submarine to a flying position just at or above the water-air interface; and

reversing the propeller propulsion system to operate the propeller in an airborne mode.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the step of providing a rocket propulsion system includes the step of providing a compressed air rocket propulsion system.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein the step of providing a rocket propulsion system includes the step of providing an electrolysis air rocket propulsion system.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein the step of providing a rocket propulsion system includes the step of providing a solid fuel air rocket propulsion system.